Potato Cheese Croquettes

Potato Cheese Croquettes are perfect appetizers for any party.....and kids just love anything that has potato....cheese.....and is deep fried...I would have put this under Kids Special if not for the glass of beer in the pic.....but on second thoughts....it can easily pass off as apple juice (please don't mind the silliness)

Ingredients
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• 5 medium Potatoes 
• 4 tbsp thick White Sauce
• 2 tsp Red Chilli Flakes
• 1 tsp Freshly ground pepper
• 2 tsp Lemon juice 
• salt to taste
• 1 tbsp fresh Coriander leaves , chopped
• 2 Green Chillies ,finely chopped
• 100g Mozarella Cheese ,cut to thin strips
• 1 cup Breadcrumbs
• 1/2 cup Flour (maida)
• 1 egg or 2 tbsp cornflour
• Oil to deep fry

White sauce

• 1 tbsp Butter
• 1/2 tbsp Flour (maida)
• 1/2 cup Milk
• salt and pepper to taste

Method

1. Peel the potatoes and cut into medium size cubes, place in a vessel and add enough water to cover the potatoes, add 2 tsp salt and cover and cook on medium flame till the potatoes are cooked and tender (do not over cook,the potatoes should hold their shape)
2. Drain the water from the potatoes and mash using back of a fork.
3. Transfer the mashed potatoes into a bowl and add white sauce 1 tbsp at a time (do not use all the white sauce), you should get a soft potato dough not a gummy sticky paste, now add remaining ingredients- red chilli flakes ,pepper,salt ,green chillies,coriander leaves and lemon juice. Mix well.
4. Now take a small ball of potato dough and flatten on your palm, place the cheese strip in between and cover,roll into cylinders or desire shapes (try to keep the cheese in the middle or the cheese will melt and ooze out while frying). Prepare rest of the croquettes similarly and rest in the refrigerator for 15 minutes (this will harden the croquettes and will be easy to handle while coating them)
5. Now beat one egg* in a bowl and keep aside , spread breadcrumbs and flour in two separate plates , get ready to coat the croquettes.Roll the croquettes in flour,dust away the excess flour,dip it in the egg and roll in breadcrumbs and keep aside. Repeat the same process for rest of the croquettes.
6. Keep the coated croquettes in the refrigerator till further use.
7. Heat oil in a vessel on medium high flame. When the oil is hot enough drop in the coated croquettes and fry till it turns golden brown (fry two or three croquettes at a time)
8. Remove from oil and place on kitchen towel to remove excess oil.
9. Serve hot with tomato sauce , mayonnaise , sour cream or green chutney.

White sauce

1. Place a small non stick vessel on medium low flame, add butter and flour and fry for 1 to 2 minutes ,now slowly add the milk and keep mixing to avoid lumps.
2. Cook till the sauce thickens,Add salt and pepper.
3. The sauce will thicken more once it cools down.

*Instead of egg, mix cornflour in enough water to make a semi thick liquid and dip the floured croquettes in it and roll in the breadcrumbs and deep fry

Spinach and Mushroom Lasagna

Ingredients for lasagna

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• 200 grms Lasagna sheets
• spinach and mushroom sauce
• red sauce
• mashed potatoes
• 200 grms shredded cheese

Ingredients for red sauce

• 1 tbsp olive oil
•  1 tsp chilli flakes
• 6 garlic finely chopped
• 1 finely chopped onion
• 200grms tomato puree or 100 grms tomato paste
• 2tsp sugar
• 1/2 capsicum chopped finely (optional)
• salt /pepper to taste
• 1 tsp basil
• 1tsp oregano

ingredients for mashed potatoes

• 4 medium potatoes boiled and mashed
• 3 tbsp salted butter
• 2 tbsp fresh bread crumbs
• pepper to taste.

Method for red sauce

1. Heat oil in a pan add garlic and saute add the onion. Saute for few seconds then add the chill powder, basil and oregano. Fry for 30 seconds and then add chopped capsicum and fry for 2 minutes.
2.  Add the tomato puree, salt, pepper and sugar. cook well (you can also add chicken at this point) If the consistency is too thick you can add few tablespoons of water.
3. Keep this aside till further use.

Method for mashed potatoes.

1. Mix potatoes,butter,breadcrumbs and pepper and mash together.
2. Mix and keep aside.

How to assemble the lasagna

1. Butter a oven safe bowl,place half of the mashed potatoes and spread evenly.

 2.Place lasagna sheets.

 3.Pour half of the red sauce on the lasagna sheets and sprinkle some cheese.
4.Pour half of the mushroom and spinach sauce on the cheese and sprinkle more cheese on the sauce.
5.Place lasagna sheets and continue with red sauce and cheese,

 6. The final top layer,place the remaining mashed potatoes,then the mushroom and spinach sauce and sprinkle cheese.
7.Place this dish inside a pre heated oven and bake for 10 minutes at 180 degree C or till the cheese melts.
8.Serve with garlic bread.

Creamy spinach and mushroom sauce

Spinach and mushroom sauce can be used in lasagna,pasta,fillings for canapes and cocktail puff pastries

Ingredients
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• Milk         2 cups
• butter        4 tbsp
• flour         4tbsp(maida)
• 2 bunch spinach (chopped finely)
• 250 grms button mushroom (chopped)
• pepper and salt to taste.

Method

1. Place a pan on medium high flame,add 1 tbsp butter, after butter melts add the chopped spinach leaves and cook till all the water evaporates.Add little salt and fry for a minute.Transfer into a bowl or plate and keep aside.
2. To the same pan add 1 tbsp butter,when it melts add chopped mushroom and fry till water evaporates and till mushroom turns brown,add little salt and fry for a minute,transfer into the same bowl as spinach.
3. Now prepare the white sauce.
4. Melt butter in a pan add maida and fry for a minute, make sure you fry it properly on medium low heat, if the maida is not cooked properly then the white sauce will have a weird paper taste.Add milk gradually and keep stirring or lumps will form(if you are making it for the first time then remove the pan away from the flame and add the milk, mix properly then put back on the flame again)
   cook well till you get smooth thick custard like consistency.Add pepper and salt.
5. Add the fried mushroom and spinach to the white sauce.
6. Spinach and mushroom sauce is ready.